Armpit Odor – Causes and Treatment

Have you ever had the experience of getting really embarrassed because of how you smell? It is very humiliating to shock people turn away from you because of body odor specifically armpit odor. However, you do not need to fret because there are various ways for you to get rid of armpit odor. This article will help you find the specific answers that you will need to be able to remove your body odor and keep smelling fresh all the time.

However before we begin, let us first define what armpit odor is and how it comes about in the human body. Armpit odor refers to the foul smelling fumes that come from this specific part of the body. This generally comes from the stale sweat trapped in your underarms.

How does the odor come about?

At first, perspiration does not smell bad at all. However after some time, because of exposure to external forces and other elements in the atmosphere, this can activate the bacteria and help produce the odor that we all dread.

This is because the bacteria in the armpits multiply which will break down the proteins in the body into acids and cause the odor itself.

Causes of Armpit Odor

There are a lot of causes for armpit odor that you have to take note of. Below is a list of the possible causes of armpit odor as follows.

The main cause of armpit odor would be the bacteria that are activated through exposure in the atmosphere. As mentioned earlier, initially sweat does not smell like anything at all. The sweat glands produce a viscous fluid that can be described as milkier compared to that in the hair. It also produces water like fluid. This does not actually have the foul smell.

Another cause would be the lack of oxygen in the body. If this happens, bacteria would thrive at the surface of the skin. This will cause a reaction with the sweat and therefore lead to body odor.

Certain physical conditions can also cause armpit odor. By physical conditions we mean ailments like constipation and other conditions of the digestive system. If this happens, doctors in the body will become trapped inside the digestive system and not metabolize correctly. Because of this, the odor will come out of the pores and cause a foul smell.

Below is a list of some foods that can cause body odor for any individual.

Drinking excessive coffee

Spicy food

Meat

Eggs

Fish and legumes

Related Conditions

Aside from constipation, here are some of the related diseases that can cause you to have body odor. If you have any of these conditions, it is important that you go to your Physician right away so that he or she will be able to treat any underlying illness that you may have as it connects to your body odor.

Kidney problems

Liver conditions

Hypoglycaemia

Fungal infections

Treatment of Armpit Odor

Fortunately, there are several ways of treating this condition. This is why you do not have to worry too much about having armpit odor. Here are some of the solutions as follows. If you follow the solutions, you will be able to gain the confidence to face people without worry or fear of embarrassment.

First, if you sweat profusely, it would help you to use a solution of hydrogen peroxide mixed with water for washing your underarms. It should be 3% in concentration. You can buy this in any pharmacy.

Using good deodorants is advisable as well. These products will make the skin acidic and therefore not also the growth of bacteria in the armpits. It will also block the production of sweat which can prevent body odor. However, this can also lead to several health problems such as cancer so it would be advisable to limit the use of these products as much as possible.

As an alternative for deodorants, you should try using homemade remedies for body odor. At least you can be assured that these products are safe and natural.

Taking a bath daily is an extreme imperative. When you do this, always make it a point to focus on your armpits and your genitals so that you can prevent the growth of bacteria in these areas effectively.

Another tip would be to wear cotton fabric as regularly as possible. In addition, try wearing loose clothes as much as possible especially during the summer. If you do this, it will allow the sweat to evaporate faster and prevent the bacteria from coming in contact with the skin.

Changing your diet is also a must if you want to prevent body odor. Try to avoid eating foods with too much spice as well as onions or garlic. In addition, also try to avoid caffeinated drinks. To add to this, you should also avoid smoking as much as possible. It will affect both your skin and lungs because the nicotine will mix with certain elements in your body which can lead to a smelly armpit.

Additional Tips

Some experts will recommend witch hazel as a replacement for deodorants. In addition to this, you can clean your underarms with baby wipes to be able to absorb excess perspiration in both the underarms and genital area.

Other alternatives that you can use would be lime juice as well as apple cedar vinegar and white vinegar. By using these elements, it will help alleviate the skin pH which can also alleviate odor in the process.

Lastly, do not let your sweat stay on your body for too long. This will give the fluid a chance to come in contact with the outside environment which can then foster bacterial growth.

These are just some of the most common alternatives were deodorant that you can consider using. It would also be very helpful for you to go to your Physician right away to ask for advice in case the states do not work. Ultimately, practicing good hygiene is the best way to go about in dealing with smelly armpits.

If you can maintain good hygiene along with doing these steps, you would be able to smell good even if you perspire all day long.